4 Surprising Benefits of Cupping Massage

Cupping is an ancient technique for treating and increasing blood flow, neck/back pains, and migraines, to name a few. It’s an alternative therapy treatment that originated in China and has since been adopted by Egyptian and Middle Eastern cultures. It dates back thousands of years, but increasing users worldwide have been adopting it.

The 4 benefits of cupping

1. Pain relief

Cupping relieves pain, reduces scar tissue deep within muscles and connective tissues, and decreases swelling and muscle knots.

Additionally, like several complementary treatments, cupping is supposed to minimize circulating toxins by bringing them into the skin, where they’re more likely to be easily treated and removed.

2. Eases inflammation

Tired of inflammation? Cupping helps your body reduce inflammation through suction. You can think of it as similar to a massage in reverse. This treatment contributes to sterile inflammation.

The vacuum-like suction from the cups causes micro-trauma to the applied areas. This causes your body to release an array of chemicals, fibroblasts, and white blood cells to the afflicted areas, triggering the healing process.

3. Increases blood flow

Cupping helps increase blood circulation near the area where the warm-to-hot cups are placed. This helps soothe muscle tension, which can improve overall blood flow and boost cell repair. It can also help build new connective tissues and produce new blood vessels in the tissue.

4. Eases chronic fatigue

Have you been dealing with chronic fatigue? According to a 2020 study done by the National Library of Medicine, cupping therapy has greatly relieved fatigue symptoms and improved emotion and sleep conditions.

How long does a cupping session last?

A session can last from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the practitioner, your condition, and how long they leave the cups on your skin.